The Mercer Island High School mock trial team earned a spot in the national competition after one of the top four teams dropped out. The MIHS team placed fifth in the state competition at the end of March.

Susan Sutherin, the faculty advisor for the team, said she was contacted to see if the team was interested in attending the national event, held in New Jersey. The team’s resounding response was yes.

Now the team needs to raise $7,000 for its 10 members and two chaperones to attend the event in New Brunswick, N.J., May 17-19.

“It is an honor, given it is only the second year we’ve gone to state. We were very pleasantly surprised,” said Sutherin.

MIHS has competed in mock trial events for the past four years.

The team practices an average of three days a week, and occasionally weekends, Sutherin said. Many schools who compete at the state level offer mock trial as a class, Sutherin said, but at MIHS the kids do it on a volunteer basis.

To find out how to help the mock trial team get to the national competition contact Sutherin at 236-6013.